Filed to story: Luna Lovette and Alpha Kodak Story
Nick sighed. “And that, children, is why you shouldn’t pick a fight with an alpha-whether he’s outnumbered or not. Your own Alpha should have taught you that. Consider this a lesson learned that your own Alpha should have taught you.”
Strolling out of the restroom, Nick cast a quick glance at the three wolf shifters at the rear of the diner. They looked back at him, but there was no challenge in their gazes. Satisfied, he continued to his table.
Spotting him, Derren rose from his seat. “Did you let them live?”
Nick placed the money for his food on the table. “If I hadn’t, then they couldn’t explain to their Alpha that I’m not an easy target, could they? I don’t need this shit right now.”
“Not that I disapprove of you teaching the wolves a lesson,” said Derren as they exited the diner, “but if you want to win your mate over, it makes sense to stay alive rather than go around pissing off drug lords.”
“I don’t know-I think she might prefer me dead.”
Y ou seemed a little distracted today,” Kent told Shaya as they were slipping on their coats at the end of a long shift. “And you look real tired.”
She gave him a sardonic smile. “Such a polite way of telling me I look like shit.”
“Come on, tell me what’s wrong. You’re supposed to confide in me and make me feel important and special.” When she didn’t, he hit her in the chest with her own purse. “Spill.”
Hanging the purse over her shoulder, she frowned at him. “Hey, I don’t harass you about your private business. If I was going to do that, I’d say shame on you for flirting outrageously with another one of your clients.”
“I wasn’t flirting. I was being particularly nice to a particularly hot guy.”
“Uh-huh. Just try not to sleep with this one, okay?”
His mouth fell open. He followed behind her, spluttering, as she headed for the door. “I did not have sex with Mark.”
“No, of course not….He had sex with you.”
“As a matter of fact, Mark’s not actually my client, he’s Paisley’s client. I was just filling in that day.”
“So it was you who did the filling and he who took-?” Stepping outside, her smile froze, as did her whole body, as she noticed the familiar figure leaning against a vehicle, waiting. Nick. Her stomach did about three flips, and her wolf instantly sat up, satisfied.
A part of Shaya had wondered if he’d keep to his word and come to give her a ride home, but that idea had been ruthlessly squashed by the distrustful part of her that had been born when Mason betrayed her; that part of her couldn’t bring herself to invest any hope in Nick. She wasn’t sure whether she was pleased or disappointed that he’d come, just like she hadn’t been sure earlier whether she was happy or annoyed when she had received a text message from him:
I had the urge to text somebody who’s smart, hot, and sweet…but sending messages to myself is just pathetic, so hi.
She had promised herself she would not laugh, but she hadn’t been able to hold back a smile. She really didn’t know what to do with this guy, but she knew one thing: she sure as hell wasn’t giving him any encouragement by getting in that car with him…even though her feet were throbbing and it was cold and she was exhausted and she knew from earlier that his car was so warm and comfortable.
Kent, being nosy, strained to see over her shoulder. “Could he be the source of your distractedness, I wonder.” She could hear the smile in his voice.
Moving aside, she allowed Kent to pass so he could shut the door and lock it behind them. Meanwhile, Nick was strolling slowly toward her with a predatory glint in his eyes. Although Kent was standing right there, Nick looked only at her. Having his intense focus on her was both daunting and thrilling. Her wolf loved it-the dangerous vibes he emitted didn’t faze her wolf at all, because she was confident her mate would never harm her.
Shaya wished that the possessiveness in that gaze could have annoyed her, but it instead comforted her…eased something inside her. Insecurities that she wished she didn’t have. His deep, rumbly, authoritative voice almost made her jump.
“Ready to go?”
“I’m praying someone spiked my coffee with some sort of hallucinogenic-the alternative that you’re truly here is much too depressing.”
If Nick’s wolf could have laughed, Nick was pretty sure he would have. Only Shaya ever had this effect on the animal’s mood. “I told you I’d be here when you finished work.”
“And I told you that I’m perfectly capable of getting myself home.” She noticed that Kent was staring at Nick in total admiration, fanning his face. When Kent looked at her, he mouthed, “Oh my God.” Typical.
“It’s just a ride.” Nick smiled innocently, shrugging. “Like you said earlier, a ride doesn’t mean anything.”
She narrowed her eyes. He was twisting her words and using them against her. Oh, that was sneaky. And smart, she could concede.
Kent offered Nick his hand. “As Shaya’s being rude, I’ll introduce myself. I’m Kent.”
Finally moving his gaze from Shaya, Nick shook what he knew was her boss’s hand-as he’d told Shaya, he’d ensured he knew what there was to know about her life. “Nick.” When the guy’s brow furrowed in confusion, Nick realized that Shaya had never spoken of him. And didn’t that hurt like a bitch. His wolf growled at that, wanting his role in her life to be noted. Nick was none too pleased about it either and thought about making it known right then. But he wanted Shaya to be the one to say who he was to her, wanted to hear her say it with pride rather than reluctantly through gritted teeth. “You’re a half-shifter,” observed Nick.
Kent nodded. “Very good. Not a lot of shifters are able to pick it up.”
Shaya was kind of surprised that Nick hadn’t firmly stated he was her mate. The guy was an extremely dominant alpha-the last thing he would want was any misconceptions about such a thing. Strangely, she found herself a little offended that Nick hadn’t cared enough to clear it up. He wasn’t even explaining that he was in town to see her. No, as he chatted to Kent, he was extremely vague, leaving his acquaintance with Shaya open to interpretation. Kent would undoubtedly think she and Nick had met in the last day or so. Again, she was offended.
God, what was wrong with her? One minute she wanted him gone, and the next minute she wanted him to declare she was his mate. But…maybe it wasn’t all that odd, considering that her pride had taken a huge blow when he rejected her, she mused. His failure to acknowledge what she was to him had stung like hell, and it seemed that a part of her still wanted that acknowledgment, wanted to know he was proud that she was his mate.
As if he sensed her inner struggle and was taken over by a reflexive need to comfort her, he came closer and began casually toying with one of her curls as he and Kent chatted about the local pack and the local group of human extremists. She slapped at his hand as if it was an annoying fly, but Nick either didn’t notice or didn’t care because he didn’t stop. So she slapped his hand harder. Without even glancing at her, he closed his hand around her offending one and nipped her ear punishingly. He then held her hand to his side, ignoring her struggle to reclaim it. Oddly enough, he seemed amused rather than frustrated.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?